Film industry booming

You just gotta love New Brunswick government officials and their partners in spin, the media which recently ran a headline about the ‘boom’ in New Brunswick’s film industry. New Brunswick Film says the industry has grown from $13 million in 2005 to $18 million in 2006, with $22 million to $25 million worth of business expected in 2007.

Out of the $2.5 billion spent across Canada – roughly 1%. Boom.

Yeah, but you say we can’t compete with British Columbia and Ontario – that’s not a fair comparison. Nova Scotia Film figures show that province’s industry expanded from $104 million in 2005 to $121 million in 2006.

Or over five times the size of New Brunswick’s industry. Boom.

But in true McKenna/Lord/Graham style, the executive director of New Brunswick Film sees “significant growth” ahead for the province. Just like his predecessor said. And the one before that. And the first guy that took up the post under McKenna.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about aerospace, film, life sciences, back offices, animation, green energy, IT outsourcing or the manufacture of bootstraps, spending five bucks, hanging out a shingle and putting on a goofy grin is no substitute for real leadership, real investment and real community leadership on sector development.

t doesn’t matter if we are talking about aerospace, film, life sciences, back offices, animation, green energy, IT outsourcing or the manufacture of bootstraps, spending five bucks, hanging out a shingle and

putting on a goofy grin is no substitute for real leadership, real investment and real community leadership on sector development.

Then I’ll help out Dave since he’s got a job and I’m sick…

Aerospace-Cape Breton announces a multiple joint venture to work with a private firm and potentially NASA to build an ‘inner orbit’ tourism facility launch pad. It is quickly ‘killed off’ by the feds, but shows at least a little effort.

Film- Nova Scotia announces a massive tax rebate to deal with the raised dollar to protect its (according to Dave) 125 million dollar industry.

New Brunswick’s film industry is one fifth the size even though obviously there is no problem building such a maritime sector (New Brunswick has everything NS has). No word on ANY initiatives, but a ‘good news’ story on how great the future looks even though there’s no good news.

Again, to pitch my idea, the government funds various agencies or sets up a non profit to set up a basic television channel which would be available everywhere in the province, ala Bill Davis’ TVO model (would also deal with the ‘not knowing NB history problem).

Life Sciences- while the government does give a little cash to whoever asks, there is really no ‘program’ to develop the sector like other places. There are some ‘regional’ programs, but no provincial ones. However, its not like there are no options or opportunities, if you’ve ever had any kind of disease then you know this is a HUGE potential industry that has internet communities setting up all over. Everybody has a health problem at some point, and research and work can be done anywhere-it just takes some organization…and some media attention.

Green Energy-this is a no brainer, but the Irving connection here is obvious. Getting people talking about green energy means taking a closer look at the energy system-which neither Government nor industry want. Any other place would have media stories going non stop about Coal, ontario uses lots of coal but its constantly in the press and now its to the point where coal is used only in backup situations. In NB, coleson cove is looking to get even dirtier, and of course the reason is obvious-but again never reported-because Irvings synthetic wallboard factory will be using waste from it to make its product.

Meanwhile, ‘leadership’ means actually even MENTIONING green. In no other sector is it so obvious that elected officials have NO power to challenge the status quo. If you want to see ‘leadership’ then look at PEI’s use of wind. It’s true that it was sort of necessary, but that doesn’t change the fact. That PEI can do something but NB has to contract out to an alberta company even though NBpower is a monstrous utility is simply an abject embarassment.

That doesn’t even get into micro power at the personal level, or tidal power, etc. Neither of these are even mentioned as ‘competition’ for nuclear. I’ve never seen so many people stating that alternative energy forms are ‘things for the future’ as in NB letters to the editor (which again could be planned).

So that adds on to that last paragraph of david’s, hope its as good of a finish as the start was.

That’s good stuff. You should ditch Waterloo and set up in Freddy Beach, Mikel. You seem like a Freddy Beach guy to me. The only thing I don’t understand is the Irving comment. Why wouldn’t the Irvings want to corner the green energy market? They are into oil & gas, electricity, co-generation, jet fuel, other specialty fuels. Why not the green stuff too? Why not wind turbines with the Irving logo? I can’t make that connection.